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Calgary's Downtown Dilemma
- Thread starter Alex_YYC
- Start date
CalgaryTiger
Senior Member
Some progress on the demo at Suncor. Didn't see something for this on the map. Thought this was a good place for it. They took off the facade on the +15 connection and have now wrapped it. Not sure how much more demo is left.
Seeing the University's upcoming plans for the Nexen tower has given me hope for the west end of downtown and maybe downtown altogether.
There's good potential to make that part of downtown into something vibrant. 8th street from 17th ave SW to downtown is already busy with foot traffic, and as @CBBarnett pointed out in the other thread, there is the upgraded plans for 8th street's pedestrian realm. At the north end of 8th street and 4th ave you make a short left and you have corridor into Kensington. There's a possibility of making a consistently vibrant corridor from Beltline 17th ave to Kensington 10th street.
This image, shows (in green) what I would call improvements to supporting that corridor. 6 active improvements within a block of the 8th street corridor - The University plan of course is huge, and also an addition of a hotel. Cornerstone, Dominion, Loft and AHC will add new residents. WVT might not be a great project itself, but it adds around 500 residents to the area. All these projects together are going to be a big improvement to the area. If we can get some development on the lots show in red, we'd be on a major roll. At some point if the west end of downtown can become a vibrant area, the vibrancy could spread eastward.
There's good potential to make that part of downtown into something vibrant. 8th street from 17th ave SW to downtown is already busy with foot traffic, and as @CBBarnett pointed out in the other thread, there is the upgraded plans for 8th street's pedestrian realm. At the north end of 8th street and 4th ave you make a short left and you have corridor into Kensington. There's a possibility of making a consistently vibrant corridor from Beltline 17th ave to Kensington 10th street.
This image, shows (in green) what I would call improvements to supporting that corridor. 6 active improvements within a block of the 8th street corridor - The University plan of course is huge, and also an addition of a hotel. Cornerstone, Dominion, Loft and AHC will add new residents. WVT might not be a great project itself, but it adds around 500 residents to the area. All these projects together are going to be a big improvement to the area. If we can get some development on the lots show in red, we'd be on a major roll. At some point if the west end of downtown can become a vibrant area, the vibrancy could spread eastward.
CalgaryTiger
Senior Member
That lot along the river you have a red square around is part of the RiverWalk West. I think it is turning into park space. Been a little over a year since they started on the final design development.
A nice open diagonal pathway from 8th street to the LRT bridge. Works for me!
CalgaryTiger
Senior Member
They do also show two structures potentially on that parcel. It is city land so c'mon CMLC do your worst.
It looks good I should have paid more attention to that design when it first came out. A couple of buildings on the side is even better, and even better yet, would be a couple of retail CRUs in the buildings located on the pathway itself. Possibly with patio space 
CalgaryTiger
Senior Member
Looks like some action on some of the issues we've talked about in other threads.
The vast majority of those charged have prior criminal records and histories of trafficking-related charges, and some had trials pending or were subject to conditions, police said.
All of the people who were arrested were offered information about getting addiction treatment and help with finding housing and employment, police said.
They will be potential candidates for the Drug Treatment Court or the Calgary Indigenous Court if appropriate.
The vast majority of those charged have prior criminal records and histories of trafficking-related charges, and some had trials pending or were subject to conditions, police said.
All of the people who were arrested were offered information about getting addiction treatment and help with finding housing and employment, police said.
They will be potential candidates for the Drug Treatment Court or the Calgary Indigenous Court if appropriate.
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Alex_YYC
Senior Member
It’s clear a big issue we have with downtown and the homeless is tied to drug addiction.
If that can be solved or dealt with effectively it would change everything.
If that can be solved or dealt with effectively it would change everything.
adamyyc
Active Member
It’s a difficult situation and I’m not unsympathetic to those who are suffering addiction, but I think my leaning on this has changed over the years.
I think leniency has exacerbated the problem, and that maybe the solution needs to be more enforcement, and not just on traffickers, but also on drug users (i.e., enforcement of possession laws). I’m not saying it needs to be a “war on drugs” with enforcement of maximum sentences, but I do think enforcement on procession, with clemency where appropriate, might be the next stage in the evolution of the drug epidemic.
It would likely put a strain on the justice system, but could maybe help those with addiction get the help they need while also reducing the customer base for traffickers. I’d be supportive of reduced sentencing or record suspensions (pardons) for those who complete treatment (where appropriate).
I just don’t think we should carry on the way we currently are where we turn a blind eye to public consumption of illicit narcotics.
I think leniency has exacerbated the problem, and that maybe the solution needs to be more enforcement, and not just on traffickers, but also on drug users (i.e., enforcement of possession laws). I’m not saying it needs to be a “war on drugs” with enforcement of maximum sentences, but I do think enforcement on procession, with clemency where appropriate, might be the next stage in the evolution of the drug epidemic.
It would likely put a strain on the justice system, but could maybe help those with addiction get the help they need while also reducing the customer base for traffickers. I’d be supportive of reduced sentencing or record suspensions (pardons) for those who complete treatment (where appropriate).
I just don’t think we should carry on the way we currently are where we turn a blind eye to public consumption of illicit narcotics.
trtcttc
Senior Member
At a certain point, giving the people option to go into treatment was viable, as many drug users were still functional and able to hold basic jobs. But as others have mentioned, the drugs now are so strong, we cannot reasonably expect these people still have the capacity to make informed decisions. Treatment costs is a massive problem, and I wonder if we can find ways to do it more cost effectively if done at scale
I'm finding myself of a similar mindset. Not feeling less empathetic to the people with the addiction issues, but more of a case of it feeling like these newest addiction issues are either very difficult to solve, or maybe not even solvable at all.
Normally my thoughts on rehab are that people need to be the ones willing to do it and decide for themselves, but the addiction issues seem to be at a point where that might not be possible. I'm not in love with the idea of forced rehab, but which is worse: losing some freedom or not being under any care and dying on the street somewhere?
AJX
Active Member
Bingo. A large number of the people with addictions these days cannot help themselves, they’re well beyond that point.
I mean, living their lives strung out on the streets is no more freedom for them than being in forced, rehab, and it could be worse they could be in regular jail.
Mountain Man
Senior Member
We need to try the forced treatment option, see if it makes a difference. Harm reduction needs to continue, but that can't be the entire solution. Part of what we need as well is bail reform, so many of the people on the street have been arrested so many times that there has to be something we can keep them for. Letting meth heads out to keep stealing shit isn't working.